Peru

I've never done much travel before, but now I've returned from a jump in the deep end in the form of three weeks in Peru.

We spent a few days in Lima, staying with a family who have become extremely good friends, before taking a road trip around the southern areas. Cusco, Machu Picchu, Puno, Arequipa, Nazca, Chincha and El Carmen, and back to Lima. We also experienced a Peruvian wedding (one of our two original reasons for the visit), and got to see Lima itself and experience a little of the Peruvian way of life.

More details will probably appear in the notes to the pictures, but I would like to say that Peru is an amazing place, and I highly recommend it to anyone - especially those with cameras!

Sunday 13 April 2008

A Fresh Year

Happy New Year to anybody who reads this. Not that I can think why you should. While there have been regular additions to the picture set, it's been months since I added text.

Life has got in the way, I confess. I hoped to get changes in place, not least some way of selling prints from the gallery. That will come, I promise, but I don't know exactly when.

Still, the holiday period was good for getting some shots I was pleased with, even though I was far too relaxed to sit at my computer and worry about web code.

Thursday 3 January 2008

Holiday Weekend

Suddenly I have many more pictures to post, all because of four days in French Catalonia. They will probably appear in dribs and drabs over the next few days, and I'll work up to my favourites.

I'm also considering a new section on the site in which to write about travel experiences, because I'm definitely intending to do more of it. And this batch of photos has made me decide that I shall add a shop element to the site and see if one or two people might like to buy some photos. It'll take a little while to sort that out, but it shouldn't be too hard.

Wednesday 17 October 2007

Where to now?

I find myself at a bit of a turning point. This website has served its purpose very well as a training ground, but I need to take a step forward.

The question is, should that be formal, or should I make use of what I already have ... ie this site?

I would like to get a business up and running, but I'm nervous. I don't expect much to come of the pictures I have already posted, but it wouldn't take much to make them saleable where they are. Is that a distraction? Should I be using my energy to take bigger steps than that?

More thought is required, which may be an excuse to do nothing.

Sunday 7 October 2007

Delayed Updates

It's been over a month since I added an entry here.

That time has been busy and stressful, as there have been some wrenching changes in my life that haven't allowed much spare time or mental space for photography - or other things. Still, I now have space of my own, and have arranged my possessions sufficiently that I can get back to the important things in life.

So I have developed two monochrome films that have been waiting, and also had a saunter along the Thames to fill some time while my car was being serviced. I dare say there'll be more to come.

Saturday 1 September 2007

New Lenses

I grabbed myself another deal when I saw it, and splashed out on two new lenses. That's two more than I ought to spend money on, but I've been promising them to myself for a long time. And, coming from Hong Kong guaranteed duty and tax free, with a free three-year third-party warranty, I thought now was the time.

So I now have a Nikon 17-35 f2.8 zoom and a Nikon 80-400 VR zoom. And the old Sigma 135-400 went on Ebay and was shipped to its new owner today.

Both the new additions are gorgeous pieces of equipment. But so far I've been playing with the telephoto the most.

Monday 30 July 2007

On Yer Bike

It's been an eventful few days.

Firstly, and most minor, I have been on a ramble armed only with a digital compact and a rangefinder with mono film. There's nothing like limiting oneself to sharpen the eye, and besides, tramping country paths is more enjoyable without the lead weight of a serious camera. There are two pictures already in the gallery, so that's a successful day.

Secondly, I have handed my notice in at work, which means I will shortly have to become self-sufficient. I have great plans for a product photography business, and think I have spotted a hole in the market which will require all my disparate and painstakingly-acquired skills to fill. Time will tell if I'm right about the hole, but I'm giving myself three months from the cut-off of my current job to find out. Watch this space.

Thirdly, I have just discovered Google Analytics. As with many things Google-related, it's uncanny, incredibly useful, and very slightly spooky. I don't expect it to be hugely significant on this site, but as with so many things, it's handy to get to grips with it before starting on something where it does matter.

Sunday 22 July 2007

Panorama Tools

At last, a genuine photographic development!

This picture is the result of me finally getting my act together and making an effort to capture the raw materials for a panorama while the weather was good. It gave me a chance to try out the application I got on recommendation for the purpose of stitching, called PTGui. I'm pleased to say that even without tweaking, or even reading the instructions, it worked like magic. Of course, it helps to take the shots properly, and the pano tripod head did its job well.

In other news, I've given up on my Sigma 135-400mm lens. It was great on the Fuji S2, but is always, without fail, horribly soft on the D2X. So I'm looking for a secondhand Nikon 80-400mm, which is reported to be slow but sharp. More on that if I find one. The Sigma can go on ebay, though I'm not sure what I'll get for it.

Wednesday 11 July 2007

Things on my mind

I've had a lot going on over the last few weeks. Mostly not worth talking about (although the First Aid course was worthwhile, and I'm now qualified for another three years), but enough that I haven't really had the energy or capacity to do much here even when I've had the time.

But I don't like to think of the site languishing. So today I have at least trawled through my photo collection and picked out a few more pictures for the gallery. That will have to do for a few more days.

Thursday 5 July 2007

Technorati

While getting technical, I thought I might as well sign up with the various blogging groups. So here goes with the first, which is apparently activated by including the following in a post:

Technorati Profile

Friday 22 June 2007